Mid-Columbia Community Choir announces concerts

Mid-Columbia Community Choir will soon present three benefit holiday concerts. The first concert will be presented on Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. in the Riverside Community Church sanctuary, Fourth and State streets in Hood River.

This first concert, entitled “Hymns of Thanksgiving,” will bring the Mid-Columbia Community Choir and Riverside Community Church Chancel Choir together to perform some of the great hymns of Thanksgiving. Included will be “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” arranged by Gilbert Martin and performed by the combined choirs. Special guests include the Riverside Community Church children’s choir and Diana Beterbide at the piano and Susan Tickner at the organ.

Admission is free but a freewill offering will be received for Give Them Wings Inc., a local home for homeless young men in the Gorge.

The community choir will perform its Christmas concerts Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Riverside Community Church sanctuary at Fourth and State streets in Hood River, and Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. in the Grace Baptist Church sanctuary at 1280 W Jewett, White Salmon, Wash. Admission is free but a freewill offering will be received for Hood River’s FISH Food Bank and the White Salmon Mount Adams Ministerial Associates and the Evangelical Pastor’s Association Emergency Funds.

This year’s concerts will feature a Christmas musical by Joel Raney and will be accompanied by an 11-piece ensemble of instrumentalists. Also featured will be the newly formed Ladies Chorus in two arousing pieces, “Carol of the Bells” and “Ding Dong Merrily on High,” arranged by David Downs.

The last half of the program will feature some of the great songs from our cantatas performed over the past 10 years while under the direction of Perry Cole. Diana Beterbide returns again this year as accompanist for the choir.

Mid-Columbia Community Choir was formed in 1989 under the direction Bob Van Alstine. He retired in 2001 and Perry Cole became the director in 2003. The choir has performed Christmas cantatas each year and has raised thousands of dollars for various charities. The choir has also performed for festivals, soldier memorials and other local special events.

“I am excited about singing with the ensemble this year,” Cole said. “Many choir members never get a chance to perform with instruments other than piano or organ so this will be a nice experience for many of the choir members and a treat for our audience.”